It’s the morning of the first day you donate.  The doors open and a cold draft runs over your body and nerves take over.  As you scan the room you see students and teachers waiting in line to get blood drawn.  Friends lay on the Red Cross tables with arms in the air, while others wait for the process to begin.  Familiar voices fill the air as some have friends with them for support as the volunteers begin.

Possibly the scariest, but most rewarding donation to give.  Your blood.  Needles, tubes, bags, and

iodine in abundance on the stage of the James Buchanan High School on Thursday, Sept. 21 as a Red Cross blood drive was hosted by the JB FFA chapter in the auditorium last week.

The FFA motto seems to stand for many of the students and staff at the high school. “Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, living to serve,” said Ella Heckman, 10, FFA Reporter.

The exceptional turnout, yet again this year, has proven the servant-hearted community that surrounds the school.

When asked the question if Ms. Brittany May donated blood she said, “I give blood as often as I can. Thursday was actually my 15th donation!”

Each donation saves three lives.  Together the community helped save 69 lives on Thursday during the FFA’s first blood drive of three to be held this year.  The next blood drives will be in the winter and the spring.  

“It is quite rewarding to see students and teachers take time out of their busy schedules to help others in need,” said May.

The blood drive serves more than just one purpose.  There is a scholarship that the relies on the success of the blood drive.

“The scholarship is based on the number of units donated throughout the year,” says May, “We are already about halfway to our goal of units donated this year to reach the first tier of scholarships.”

If there are more than enough units donated for the first scholarship, there could potentially be two.  This scholarship is offered to any senior that is currently active in the Community Service Committee, which is the committee that offers the scholarship.

“FFA is full of amazing opportunities to help people. The blood drive is so easy and rewarding because all it takes is a pint of blood to save somebody’s life!” said Heckman.

The James Buchanan High School FFA chapter prides themselves as being community based and willing to serve.  The annual blood drive is a great way to keep that reputation alive.